Picking Sasuke Up

Today, Sasuke Uchiha stood at the entrance to the empty school, his eyes already reddening.

"Big brother..."

Why hadn't his brother come to pick him up? He'd clearly promised this morning.

He felt so wronged. What was he supposed to do? He wanted to cry.

No, I'm the son of the Uchiha Clan head. How could I cry in public?

At the thought, Sasuke Uchiha forced back the tears that had been about to fall.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi and Izumi Uchiha had just finished handling the paperwork with the Great Elder's help. They were waiting for Uchiha Fugaku to come and inspect it.

"Izumi, why don't we head back first? My dad might have forgotten about this."

Uchiha Itachi glanced at the Military Police Force, where most people had already left, and made his suggestion.

After all, he could tell that his father had really changed since that night.

And he'd changed a lot. He no longer dared sneak out of work to wander around Konoha, which was bad enough, but he'd even stolen the Three-Color Dango his son had bought. He was hardly acting like a father.

Izumi hesitated, then said,

"Itachi, why don't we wait a little longer? Clan Head Fugaku might have been held up by something."

"Besides, he said he'd come inspect the work."

In Izumi Uchiha's eyes, Uchiha Fugaku was still the somewhat stern clan head he had always been. Naturally, it never occurred to her that he might have completely forgotten about this.

Seeing that Izumi Uchiha insisted on waiting, Uchiha Itachi said no more.

He began chatting with Izumi Uchiha as they waited for Uchiha Fugaku.

Without the divide between the village and the clan, Uchiha Itachi and Izumi Uchiha got along especially well that day.

Or rather, with the ideological rift between the clan and the village no longer standing in their way, Uchiha Itachi no longer held any bias against Izumi. Nothing stood between them anymore.

Meanwhile, Uchiha Fugaku was using the Body Flicker Technique to race toward the Ninja Academy.

After all, picking Sasuke up mattered more than meeting Uchiha Itachi.

If he stood Uchiha Itachi up, nothing would happen to him. But if anything happened to Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi might chop him to pieces.

After all, in the world of Naruto, the order of importance went: father or mother, then younger or older brother; younger or older brother, then best friend.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Fugaku sped up his Body Flicker Technique once more, hoping to keep his eldest son from turning into a dutiful son who chopped him to pieces again.

When he reached the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Fugaku saw Sasuke Uchiha waiting quietly at the entrance, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness. Thank goodness nothing happened."

Then Uchiha Fugaku straightened his clothes and walked over to Sasuke Uchiha.

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku, Sasuke's mood clearly improved. He ran toward him.

"Otōsan, why didn't onīsan come?"

Hearing Sasuke Uchiha's question, Uchiha Fugaku naturally couldn't tell him that he'd assigned Itachi to work in his place.

"Itachi has some things to take care of. How about I take you to find him?"

Hearing that Uchiha Fugaku would take him to see Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke Uchiha immediately brightened.

"Okay, I want to see onīsan."

Seeing Sasuke Uchiha, still a soft, adorable little bundle, Uchiha Fugaku scooped him up and set him on his shoulders.

"Let's go."

Naruto Uzumaki, who had been watching Sasuke from hiding, wore a trace of disappointment.

Where were my parents?

I wish someone would come pick me up after school like that, too.

Before long, Uchiha Fugaku brought Sasuke Uchiha to the Military Police Force.

As they entered, Sasuke Uchiha, perched on Uchiha Fugaku's shoulders, couldn't help looking around curiously.

He'd heard of the Military Police Force before, but this was his first time here.

Izumi Uchiha, who had been waiting with Itachi for a long time, excitedly said to him,

"Itachi, look! Look! Clan Head Fugaku's here."

Seeing Uchiha Fugaku arrive with Sasuke Uchiha, Uchiha Itachi let go of his worry.

Good. He hadn't forgotten about Sasuke.

Uchiha Fugaku saw them and greeted them.

Once Uchiha Fugaku came closer, Izumi Uchiha asked,

"Clan Head Fugaku, what took you so long?"

Hearing Izumi Uchiha's question, Uchiha Fugaku replied,

"I was picking Sasuke up."

As he spoke, Uchiha Fugaku patted Sasuke Uchiha on his shoulder.

But as soon as Uchiha Fugaku finished speaking, Sasuke Uchiha piped up from above,

"Dad's lying. He was late picking me up, too."

(•́へ•́╬)

Uchiha Fugaku didn't mind being called out. He simply said,

"Don't worry about the details. Let's see what you got done today."

With that, he headed for the office, completely ignoring the reproachful looks from Izumi Uchiha and Itachi.

As for the inspection, Uchiha Fugaku didn't check everything. He sampled a few files, saw that there were no problems, and put them down.

After all, he'd entrusted the Great Elder with helping out. If even this little task went wrong, then the Great Elder would hardly deserve his title.

With that thought, Uchiha Fugaku set off for the clan compound with the others, chatting and laughing.

Afterward, Uchiha Fugaku parted ways with Itachi and Sasuke in the clan compound.

"Izumi, come visit us at home when you have time."

"Okay, I will, Clan Head Fugaku."